Letter-cutting machine



F. M. YOUNG.

LETTER cunme MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 15. I919- 1,34 7,57Q Patented July 27,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

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Fig.5.

I 3mm F. M. YOUNG.

LETTER CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-I5. 1919.

1,347,570. Patented July 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCES MATTHEW YOUNG, or DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.

tnrrnncurrnve MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1920.

Application filed August 15, 1919. Serial No. 317,722.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANcns M. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Letter-Cutting Machine, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention is an improved portable machine designed for cutting letters or similar indicia on all flat surfaces of granite, marble, slate, stone or any other material of like nature and which includes a motor tor and the cutting mechanism actuatedthereby may be compactly arranged and conveniently operated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cutting machine of the character stated in which a simple means is included for adjusting the cutting tool and whereby the said tool may be quickly and positively set by the operator while the cutting element is in action and the machine is being shifted over the surface in which the cuttings are being made.

With other objects in view that will hereinafterappear, my invention embodies the peculiar features of construction and combination of parts, all of which will'be hereinafter fully explained, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my letter cutting machine. 1

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrow on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a top plan View of the carriage or base member. I

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic elevation of the release assembly hereinafter specifically referred to; I a

In my construction of letter cutting machine, the cutting is done by a carborundum wheel driven by a motor that is suitably mounted upon a traveling base or carriage adapted for being conveniently manipulated by the operator, pulling or pushing the same forward as fast as the wheel will cut,

the said carriage being freely movable over the surface of the stone or other material being worked, on rubber faced rollers that are attached to the said base.

The cutting wheel, in my arrangement of the operative parts, is raised or lowered by a peculiar release assembly that cooperates with the cutting wheel mount while the said wheel and the motor are in continuous action, as the operator moves the machine from one position to another.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a base frame or carriage 1, referably of the shape shown in Fig. 4, to t e under side of which are attached a setof rubber covered rollers 2-2, as clearly indicated on Figs. 1 and 1. Y

4 designates an electric motor which .includes a base 5 suitably apertured for receiving the bolts 6 that attach the motor to T the said base. Y

The base 1 has a forwardly extending portion 10 on the outer extremity of which are bolted oppositely disposed vertical standards 7-7 which constitute the end bearings for a cross handle 8 by which the operator can conveniently grip and pull or push the machine over the surface to be out while the cutting wheel is in operation.

One end 90 of the motor shaft 9 extends laterally of the carriage and constitutes a support for the bearings 11-11 of the'up per or yoke-shaped end of an arm 12, which serves as the cutting wheel support.

The cutting wheel 13, see Figs. 1 and 2, is attached to a shaft 31 that journals in the bearings 14-14 on the bifurcated lower end of the said arm 12.

Shaft 31 carries a belt pulley 41 located between the bearings 14.14 over which takes an endless transmission belt 15 that also passes over a pulley 16=on the motor shaft 90 and which is located between the ,the cutter disk or wheel 13 is mounted is swingable in vertical direction relatively to and upon the motor shaft and tends to'norto Figs. 1 and mally drop into engagement with the surface to be cut. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the cutter wheel 13 is locatedlaterally of and at some distance from the front end of the carriage and in convenient positionfor being con-r trolled in its application to the cutting or ing the down pressure on the handle 18 and working condition, by the operator, one of by then pressing on the pusher head 35, the bearings 14 having an attached forthe release-assemblyoperates to pull the wardly extending handle 18 adapted for bepawl 27 away from the rack 19 and thereby ing conveniently gripped with one hand of allows the spring 22 to come into play and the operator, as. he grasps the member 8 hold the cutting wheel lifted from the surwith the other hand, during'the operation of cutting.

the machine from one position to another, 19 designates a rack segment concentric it being understood that as pressure on the with" the axis of the, motor shaft and on head 34 is released, the pawl isrestored into which the cutter-wheel carrying arm is fulengagement with the said rack 19, a spring face being worked, as the operator shifts crumed. and the said rack segment forms a 36 being connected to the'link arm- 30- and I part of a frame portion. 20 that extends the standard 24; for facilitating the return laterally inwardly from the yoke-shaped of the pawl to engage with the rack. I end of the arm 12. Another and important function of the The frame portion 20 includes arearspring 22 is, that as the cut is' being madewardly extending bracket 21 andto the said and the operator gradually depresses the bracket 21 connects-one end of a stout, coil cutting wheel and as the rack-face slips spring .22 whose lower end is secured, by one over the pawl, the spring 22 instantly secures of the bolts 23 presently again referred to, the parts (the rack andthe pawl) mama to the base 1.

The purpose of the spring 22 is to constantly swing the arm 12 upwardly, see the 1 newly adjusted position. lVhat I claimfis 1. In a letter -cutting machine, a support,

arrowu'r on Fig. 1, andthereby lift the cuta motor, a cutting tool,means for mounting ting wheel from the surface tobe worked the said tool toward and from the work; so soon as the operator releases the down -means tending toconstantly move the toolpressure on the wheel, which occur-s as he fromthe work, a check device for countershifts the machlne from one position to an *ing the action of the sa dmovlngmeans other with a* release assembly, the construction of permit the said moving means to freely act.

2. A machine for cutting into'hard'sun' which is'shown in detail by- Fig. 5' and in a and a release assembly cooperative with; said- The spring 22 and the rack 19 cooperate ycheckdevice to release'the sameand thereby.

cludes a'standard 24.- secured by the bolts faces such as stone, marble and the like, a 2323 before referred to, to the base 1, and carriage,'a'motor mounted thereon'and hava slot -26'in'one of the standards 7- mounted 1 ing a shaft portion extended laterally of the on the forward end of the extension of the carriage, a' 'cutting tool, means on which the tool'is mounted and pivotally sustained on I the extended shaft porti'on to-swing vertibase land in line with the standard 24, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The release assembly also includes a pawl cally to and from the work,"means' tending 27 which constitutes a part of abell crank to normally swing the said tool carriage to I05 lever pivotally mounted at 28 to" the upper lift the tool from the work, a detent fo'r lioldend of the standard '24 and whose ='lower ing the tool against vertical movement, and

portion 29 is pivotally connected to a link other means actuated=by the operator -ashe' '7 rod or arm 30, whiclr' extends forwardly pushes-or'pulls the carriage, -'for releasing andpivotally'joined with the lower end 32' the detent to allowthe cutting tool tobe of abell cranklever 33 that is pivotally lifted from the work. connected as at 34 in the slot -26 in the up- 3. A machine for cutting into hard 'surper end of the standard 7 and whoseups A faces such-as stone, -marble and the like,

per end extends and terminates with a a carriageya motor mounted thereonand pusher head 35 located adjacent the'handle having a shaft portion extendedl'aterally or gripmember 8.

0f the carriage; a cutting tool,- means on From the fore oing description'taken in which the 'tool is'mounte'd "and pivotally connection with tile drawings, the complete sustained on the extended shaftporti'on to= construction, the manner of its use and the advantages of my letter'cutting machinemeans tending to normally swing'the said will be readilyapparent to those familiar tool carriageto lift the tool from the work,

swing vertically to and sem -the work,

with the uses 'of appliances of like character. a detent for holding the tool against verti-" The cooperative arrangement of the parts "cal movement and other means actuated by is suchthatrthe operator,whilepushing or the operator as he pushes or pullsthe earpulling the machine along the work can, by riage, for releasing the detent to allow the grasping the handle 8, conveniently. presscutting tool to be lifted from the work, the cutting wheel down'td-thework under the said means comprising 'a rack,'a pawl such tensionas maybe desired, and asthe pivotally mounted on the carriage, a 'tenlimit of" the particular movement or move-' sion' devicetending to normally swing the ments-of the machine-is reached,'b y reliev-' -pawlint0"engagementwith the rackythe said rack and the means on which the tool is mounted moving together and a spring connected with the said cutting tool mount and the carriage tending to normally swing the said mount to lift the tool from the work and a finger actuated means for releasing the pawl from engagement with the rack.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination ofacarriage,a motor mounted thereon, the said carriage having a pair of oppositely disposed standards at one end, a cross member that constitutes a handle for pushing or pulling the carriage mounted at its end on the said opposite standards, the motor shaft including a portion that extends laterally of one side of the carriage, an arm having yoke-shaped upper and lower ends, the upper yoke members thereof constituting bearings for pivotally engaging the motor shaft extension, one of the upper yoke portions including-a segmental rack, a

shaft journaled in the lower yoke-shaped end of the arm, the cutting wheel fixedly mounted on the shaft and power transmission connecting the wheel carrying shaft and the motor shaft, tension means tending to normally lift the wheel and its supporting arm from the work, a pawl, a tension device cooperative with the pawl to hold the said pawl and the cutter wheel carrying arm against the tension of the means that lift the cutting wheel and its carrying arm from the work and a finger actuated release for disconnecting the pawl from the rack at times.

- FRANCES MATTHEW YOUNG. 

